Treatment of men with paraphilia with a long-acting analogue of gonadotropin-releasing hormone.
BACKGROUND
Men with deviant sexual behavior, or paraphilia, are usually treated with psychotherapy, antidepressant drugs, progestins, and antiandrogens, but these treatments are often ineffective. Selective inhibition of pituitary-gonadal function with a long-acting agonist analogue of gonadotropin-releasing hormone may abolish the deviant sexual behavior by reducing testosterone secretion.


METHODS
In an uncontrolled observational study, we treated 30 men (mean age, 32 years) with severe long-standing paraphilia (25 with pedophilia and 5 with other types of abnormal behavior) with monthly injections of 3.75 mg of triptorelin and supportive psychotherapy for 8 to 42 months. The efficacy of therapy was evaluated monthly by the Intensity of Sexual Desire and Symptoms Scale and yearly by the Three Main Complaints questionnaire.


RESULTS
All the men had a decrease in the number of deviant sexual fantasies and desires, from a mean (+/-SD) of 48+/-10 per week before therapy to zero during therapy (P<0.001), and a decrease in the number of incidents of abnormal sexual behavior (from 5+/-2 per month to zero, P<0.001) while receiving triptorelin. These effects were evident after 3 to 10 months of therapy (P<0.001) and persisted in all 24 men who continued therapy for at least 1 year. The men's mean serum testosterone concentration fell from 545+/-196 ng per deciliter (18.9+/-6.8 nmol per liter) before therapy to 23+/-14 ng per deciliter (0.8+/-0.5 nmol per liter, P<0.001) after 42 months of triptorelin. The main side effects were erectile failure, hot flashes, and decrease in bone mineral density in some men.


CONCLUSIONS
Continuous administration of triptorelin, a long-acting agonist analogue of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, together with supportive psychotherapy, may be an effective treatment for men with severe paraphilia.
Rösler
A
A
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Witztum
E
E
D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000139:chemically induced; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010262:Paraphilic Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone